Question: If
\[\frac{\sin^4 \theta}{a} + \frac{\cos^4 \theta}{b} = \frac{1}{a + b},\]then find the value of
\[\frac{\sin^8 \theta}{a^3} + \frac{\cos^8 \theta}{b^3}\]in terms of $a$ and $b.$
Solution: Let $x = \sin^2 \theta$ and $y = \cos^2 \theta,$ so $x + y = 1.$  Also,
\[\frac{x^2}{a} + \frac{y^2}{b} = \frac{1}{a + b}.\]Substituting $y = 1 - x,$ we get
\[\frac{x^2}{a} + \frac{(1 - x)^2}{b} = \frac{1}{a + b}.\]This simplifies to
\[(a^2 + 2ab + b^2) x^2 - (2a^2 + 2ab) x + a^2 = 0,\]which nicely factors as $((a + b) x - a)^2 = 0.$  Hence, $(a + b)x - a = 0,$ so $x = \frac{a}{a + b}.$

Then $y = \frac{b}{a + b},$ so
\begin{align*}
\frac{\sin^8 \theta}{a^3} + \frac{\cos^8 \theta}{b^3} &= \frac{x^4}{a^3} + \frac{y^4}{b^3} \\
&= \frac{a^4/(a + b)^4}{a^3} + \frac{b^4/(a + b)^4}{b^3} \\
&= \frac{a}{(a + b)^4} + \frac{b}{(a + b)^4} \\
&= \frac{a + b}{(a + b)^4} \\
&= \boxed{\frac{1}{(a + b)^3}}.
\end{align*}